The invention, in some embodiments, relates to the field of login processes, and more particularly to methods and system which enable multiple users of a computing system to share access rights to resources in the system.
Users of computing devices such as desktop computers, laptops, terminals, tablets, smartphones, set-top boxes, and other computing devices are familiar with the concept of a “user account”. An account establishes a user's right to log into the computing device or into a computing system which includes the specific device. For example a user may log into a laptop to gain access to contents of the laptop, or may use a terminal to log into a system allowing access to a remote computer, for example in a computing network. An account also defines the user's access rights—what files the user is allowed to read, what files he is allowed to write or delete, what resources he is allowed to use, and the like. An account is typically defined by a unique user name accompanied by a user-defined password or other means for authenticating that the person logging in is indeed the user associated with the unique user name.
In a system supporting multiple user accounts, a specific file or resource may be accessible using the access rights of one user and inaccessible using the access rights of another user. For example, in a typical corporate, a first user may have an account giving him access rights to print on a certain network printer, while a second user has an account not giving him that right. At the same time the second user may have access rights enabling him to write to certain files of the organization while the first user does not have such rights.
In many cases, the access rights of the first and second user are required in order to complete a specific task. In such cases, the first and second user must work together, logging in and out of their respective accounts, in order to access the required resources and complete the task. This process can become long and tiresome.
There is thus a need for a system and a method which will enable users having different access rights to a computing system to temporarily share their access rights for the completion of a specific task.